Important Dates for Graduate Students

Review all important academic dates from the Office of the Registrar.

January 3, 2024

University Offices re-open after Holiday Break

January 8, 2024  

First day of Winter term classes for Law 

January 8, 2024 

First Day of Winter Classes 

January 11, 2024

The earliest date a PhD defense can be scheduled in 2024. Review details regarding the PhD External Examiner process.

January 15, 2024 - Deadline for deposit step #1 of 3 for Phase I (100% tuition refund):

Last day to submit for format checking to Graduate Studies dissertations, theses and major papers, for research students who are aiming to complete steps #2 and #3 by the January 29th Phase I deadline for Winter term 2024. Refer to the format requirements and instructions for deposit step #1 of 3.

Students depositing between January 1st and April 30 must be registered in Winter term 2024, as outlined in the registration requirements for students who are defending and/or depositing.

January 18, 2024

Last day to Add/Drop Winter Classes in Law.

January 21, 2024

Academic Add/Drop for Winter 2024 (excluding Education and Law)

January 29, 2024 - Deadline for deposit steps #2 and #3 for Phase I (100% tuition refund):

For students who completed deposit step #1 by Jan. 15th, 2024: last day to complete deposit steps #2 and #3 under Phase I (100% tuition refund) of the tuition fee refund policy for Winter term 2024. Refer to the deposit steps instructions.

February 5, 2024

Financial Drop Date for Winter 2024. Refer to Student Account/Cashiers website for details on Financial Drop Dates.

February 6, 2024 - Deadline for deposit step #1 of 3 for Phase II (50% base tuition refund):

Last day to submit for format checking to Graduate Studies dissertations, theses and major papers, for research students who are aiming to complete steps #2 and #3 by the February 20th Phase II deadline for Winter term 2024. Refer to the format requirements and instructions for deposit step #1 of 3.

February 20, 2024 - Deadline for deposit steps #2 and #3 for Phase II (50% base tuition refund):

For students who completed deposit step #1 by Feb. 6th: last day to complete deposit steps #2 and #3 under Phase II (50% base tuition refund) of the tuition fee refund policy for Winter term 2024. Refer to the deposit steps instructions.

February 17-25, 2024 - Reading week

February 19, 2024 - Family Day Holiday: University closed.

February 23, 2024 - University Offices Closed

March 15 -  Last Day of Winter 2024 Classes for Education

March 15 - No-fee Deadline to Apply to Graduate at Spring 2024 Convocation. A late fee will be charged for applications from March 16 to April 29. 

All students must apply to graduate whether or not they plan on attending their Convocation Ceremony. Students who applied for Fall 2023 convocation but did not graduate must reapply for Spring 2024 Convocation. A late fee will be charged for applications after March 15. For details about Spring 2024 Convocation, please refer to the Registrar's office Graduation & Convocation webpage.

March 17 - Last Day to Voluntarily Withdraw for Winter 2024 courses.

March 19  - Last date to nominate external examiner for PhD defenses, for doctoral students aiming to graduate at Spring Convocation 2024. Review the PhD external examiner process instructions.  

March 29 - Good Friday: University Closed

April 2  

Last date to submit a copy of the PhD dissertation to graduate studies for transmission to the PhD external examiner, for doctoral students aiming to graduate at Spring Convocation 2024. Review the PhD external examiner process instructions.   

April 5 -  Last Day of Winter 2024 Classes for Law

April 8 - Last Day of Winter 2024 Classes (excluding Law and Education)

April 9-22 - Final exams for Law.

April 11-22 - Final Exams for Winter 2024 (excluding Law and Education)

April 23 

Alternate Final Exams Day 

April 29 - Deadline to Apply to Graduate at Spring 2024 Convocation

Students who applied for Fall 2023 convocation but did not graduate must reapply for Spring 2024 Convocation. Apply to graduate at Spring 2024 Convocation by March 15 at no cost. If a student applies to graduate between March 16 - Apr 29, and wishes to attend their Spring 2024 Convocation ceremony, a fee will be charged. For details refer to the Graduation & Convocation website.

April 30 - Final oral defense deadline for Spring 2024 Graduation:   

Last day for the final oral defense of dissertations, theses and major papers for Spring Graduation 2024. Defense notices are to be posted in the AAU (e.g. on the departmental website) and a copy of the defense notice sent to FGS at least 8 days prior to the defense date. Review defense requirements.    

Refer to the Spring 2024 graduation timeline for research students aiming to complete the degree requirements within Phase I and to graduate in Spring 2024 convocation.

April 29  – Last day to apply to graduate for Spring 2024 with fee charged. For information about Spring 2024 Convocation refer to the Graduation & Convocation website.

April 30th – Final oral defense Deadline for Spring 2024 graduation:

Last day for the final oral defense of dissertations, theses and major papers for Spring Graduation 2024. Defense notices are to be posted in the AAU (e.g. on the departmental website) and a copy of the defense notice sent to FGS at least 8 days prior to the defense date. Review defense requirements.    

May 1 to May 13 – Phase I period:

  • May 1 – Deadline to start the Deposit (step #1), for Phase I and Spring 2024 graduation: last day for students to submit their document to the Graduate Studies office for format checking (deposit step #1 of 3). Review the deposit instructions;

  • May 13 – Deadline to complete the Deposit (remaining steps #2 and #3), for Phase I and Spring 2024 graduation: Last day for completion of remaining Steps #2 and #3 of the Deposit of dissertations, theses, and major papers to Graduate Studies, for Spring 2024 graduation. To complete deposit Steps #2 and #3, students must have completed Step #1 (submit for format checking) no later than May 1st 2024.

Students aiming to complete within the Phase I period (May 1 to May 13th) will not be required to register for the Summer term 2024 in the dissertation/thesis/major paper/internship. Such students are expected to have applied to graduate in the Spring convocation (by Registrar's graduation deadline), and will be eligible to graduate in Spring 2024 provided they meet the Phase I requirements and complete all degree requirements by May 13, 2024. Refer to the Phase I/II and tuition fee refund policy for details.

Students who complete after May 13th must register in the dissertation/thesis/major paper/internship for Summer term 2024 by the academic add/drop date for the term, and will not be eligible to graduate in Spring 2024 convocation (must apply to graduate in the next convocation in Fall 2024). See also Phase II deadline (June 7 and 17th) for 50% base tuition refund for Summer term 2024.

May 6

First Day of Classes: Full Summer (12 week) term

May 20

Victoria Day: University Closed

June 4-7: Spring’2024 convocation

Visit the Graduation & Convocation webpage for details.

Spring Graduation relevant deadlines for graduate research students are posted on this webpage under “Spring 2024 graduation timeline” with a summary of dates and guidelines.

June 7, 2024 – Phase II deadline to start the Deposit (step #1 of 3):

Last day to submit for format checking to Graduate Studies (Deposit step #1 of 3) dissertations, theses and major papers, for students who are aiming to meet Phase II (50% tuition refund)  for Summer term 2024. Refer to the deposit instructions. Refer to the Phase II tuition fee refund policy for details.

June 17, 2024 – Phase II deadline to complete the Deposit (remaining steps #2 and #3):

For students who completed Step #1 by June 7: last day to complete Steps #2 and #3 of the Deposit of dissertations, theses and major papers under Phase II (50% base tuition refund) under the tuition fee refund policy for the Summer term 2024. Review the deposit instructions.  

July 1

Canada Day: University Closed

August 5

Civic Holiday: University Closed